Strawberry plant named ‘Omaha’

ABSTRACT

The present invention provides new and distinct strawberry plant designated as ‘Omaha’ (a.k.a. ‘109393’).

Latin name of the genus and species: Fragaria x ananassa.

Varietal denominations: ‘Omaha’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to new and distinct strawberry plantdesignated as ‘Omaha’ (a.k.a. ‘109393’).

‘Omaha’ (a.k.a. ‘109393’) is the result of a controlled-cross between afemale parent cultivar designated ‘Taia’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 28,724)and a male parent cultivar designated ‘Ginza’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No.23,934) made by the Inventor and was first fruited in Watsonville,Calif. growing fields. Following selection and during testing, the plantwas originally designated ‘109393’ and subsequently named ‘Omaha’.‘Omaha’ is a day-neutral plant.

The new strawberry plant was asexually reproduced via runners (stolons)by the inventor at Watsonville, Calif. Asexual propagules from theoriginal source have been tested in Watsonville growing fields and to alimited extent, grower fields in high elevation. The properties of theseplant were found to be transmissible by such asexual reproduction. Theseplants are stable and reproduce true to type in successive generationsof asexual reproduction.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to new and distinctive strawberry plantdesignated as ‘Omaha’ (a.k.a. ‘109393’). The plant is primarily adaptedto the climate and growing conditions of the central coast ofCalifornia. This region provides the necessary temperatures required forit to produce a strong vigorous plant and to remain in fruit productionfrom March through October. The nearby Pacific Ocean provides the neededhumidity and moderate day temperatures and evening chilling to maintainfruit quality for the production months.

The following traits and photographs in combination distinguishstrawberry plant ‘Omaha’ from known strawberry plants. In addition,these plants were confirmed, or will be confirmed to be a uniquestrawberry germplasm using Short Sequence Repeats (SSRs). Plants for thebotanical measurements in the present application were grown as annuals.Any color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society ColourChart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionarysignificance are used.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying color photographs depict various characteristics of thecultivars as nearly true as possible to make color reproductions.

FIG. 1A shows ‘Omaha’ plant about 6-month old.

FIG. 1B shows ripe and near-ripe fruits of ‘Omaha’ about 8-month old.

FIG. 1C shows flowers of ‘Omaha’.

FIG. 1D shows fruits of ‘Omaha’.

FIG. 1E shows cut fruits of ‘Omaha’.

FIG. 1F shows upper leaf of ‘Omaha’.

FIG. 1G shows lower leaf of ‘Omaha’.

FIG. 1H shows petiole of ‘Omaha’.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION ‘Omaha’ (a.k.a. ‘109393’)

The following traits and photographs in combination distinguishstrawberry variety ‘Omaha’ from the known strawberry varieties. Plantsfor the botanical measurements in the present application were grown asannuals. In the following description, color references are made to TheRoyal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except wheregeneral terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

‘Omaha’ has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions, and the phenotype may vary significantly with variations inenvironment. The following observations, measurements, and comparisonsdescribe this plant as grown under normal conditions in Watsonville,Calif. unless otherwise noted. The age of plants when described in Table1 below is eight months.

TABLE 1 ‘Omaha’ Characteristics CharType Characteristic ‘Omaha’ GeneralPlant Habit annual Plant Growth Habit semi-upright Day length DayNeutral Plant Height (cm) 28 Plant Width (cm) 33 Density of foliagemedium Plant vigor moderate to high Crown diameter (cm) 3.0 to 4.0 LeafLeaflets per Leaf 3 Terminal leaflet width (mm) 8.9 Terminal leafletlength (mm) 7.4 Teeth per terminal leaflet: 23 Shape of the terminalleaflet base acute to obtuse Shape of terminal leaflet in cross-straight to section concave Shape of the terminal leaflet margin serrateto crenate Color of upper side of leaflet 137A Color of lower side ofleaflet 137C Leaf blistering weak Leaf glossiness medium Petiole length(cm) 20 to 25 Petiole diameter (mm) 3.28 Limbs Petiole color 145APetiolule length (cm) 1 Petiolule diameter (mm) 2.28 Petiolule Color145A Stipule length (cm) 2.8 Stipule width (cm) 1.1 Stipule anthocyanincolor 53A Stipule color (color code) 145A Pedicel length (cm) 9.5 to16.5 Pedicel diameter (mm) 1.34 Pedicel color (color code) 145A attitudeof hairs on outwards petiole and pedicel Inflorescence position relativeto above foliage Flower arrangement of petals touching Peduncle length(cm) 16.0 to 29.5 Peduncle diameter (mm) 2.67 Peduncle color (RHS colorcode) 145A Peduncle pubescence medium Inflorescence Petal length (cm)1.4 Petal width (cm) 1.4 Petal number per flower 5 to 6 Upper Petalcolor 155C Lower Petal color 155C Calyx diameter (cm) 4 Corolla diameter(cm) 2.75 Sepal length (cm) 1.1 to 2.1 Sepal width (cm) 0.8 to 1.1 Timeof flowering March (50% of plants in bloom) Shape of stigma capitateColor of stigma 6A Length of style (mm) 2 Color of style 6A Color of theovary 145A Length of the stamens (mm) 3 to 5.5 Number of stamen 24 to 33Shape of anther dorsifixed Size of anther small Anther length (mm) 0.75Shape of anther dorsifixed Color of anther 12A Amount of pollen mediumColor of pollen 4A Color of filament 149D Length of filament (mm) 2.5 to5 Number of flowers per truss 3 to 6 Stolon number 2 to 5 Stolonanthocyanin 181A Stolon Widest diameter of stolon 3.83 At leafattachment (mm) Stolon color 145A Stolon length (cm) 51 Stolon number 2to 5 Stolon anthocyanin 181A Widest diameter of stolon at leaf 3.83attachment (mm) Fruit length (cm) 40.4 Fruit Number of fruit per truss 3to 4 Shape difference between No shape primary and secondary fruitsdifference Fruit width (cm) 30.7 Fruit skin color 45A Fruit flesh colorexcluding core 44A Fruit core color 41A Fruit weight (g) 23.6Predominant fruit shape long conic Shape difference between primary Noshape & secondary fruits difference Width of band without of achenesnarrow Fruit glossiness medium to strong Position of achenes belowsurface Achene color 145A Achenes per fruit 273 Achene weight (g) 0.19Position of calyx inserted level of adherence of calyx medium Color ofcalyx 137A Firmness of flesh medium to firm Evenness of flesh color evenSweetness (brix) 6 to 7 pH 3.51 Yield (g per plant per season) 2758

‘Albion’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 16,228) owned by University of Californiais a commercial strawberry variety that is similar to, but distinguishedfrom ‘Omaha’. The fruit yield of ‘Omaha’ exceeds the yield of ‘Albion’in multiple annual testing cycles performed at the breeders testlocation in Watsonville Calif. ‘Omaha’ produces abundant quantities ofstolon that must be cut by hand labor in the fruiting field. ‘Omaha’does not produce large quantities of stolon (runners) during thefruiting period after propagation in California nurseries andWatsonville fruiting field, which saves labor of about $1,500 per acrebecause stolon must be removed in order to effect efficient harvest andcontinued flowering.

Both of the parents of ‘Omaha’ produce fruit that is lighter in rednesscoloration than ‘Omaha’. One of the parents of ‘Omaha’, a strawberryplant variety named ‘Ginza’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 23,934) has beenobserved to have foliage of a lighter green coloration than ‘Omaha’. Thefoliage and plant structure of ‘Ginza’ is more dense than that of‘Omaha’. The other parent of ‘Omaha’ is a strawberry plant variety named‘Taia’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 28,724). The foliage and plant structure of‘Taia’ is somewhat more dense than that of ‘Omaha’. The foliage andplant structure of ‘Omaha’ allows better fruit harvest visibility andthe canopy can be described as more open than the canopy observed for ofeach of it's parents. ‘Omaha’ demonstrated better shelf life, lesssusceptibility to bruising discoloration and the skin of the fruit of‘Omaha’ was observed to better resist abrasion compared to each of it'sparents in testing done over multiple weeks of annual fruiting seasons.When ‘Omaha’ is compared to the male parent, ‘Omaha’ is a smaller plant.Additionally, ‘Omaha’ presents fruit with a stronger red color and witha longer fruit shape than the male parent. When ‘Omaha’ is compared tothe female parent, ‘Omaha’ presents a higher strawberry pH than thestrawberries of the female parent. Additionally, ‘Omaha’ is less densewith foliage and presents fruit with a longer fruit shape than thefemale parent.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of strawberryplant named ‘Omaha’ substantially as shown and described herein.